Stories from Sinnoh
by Derzi
Summary: It's a retelling of the games story of Platinum but with elements of Diamond and Pearl in an attempt to mix them for better results. The plot follows Lucas, Barry and Dawn as they travel through Sinnoh as Prof. Rowan assistants.


Chapter 1: The first steps

Date: September 8

Season: Autumn

Location: Twinleaf Town

* * *

"Despite the exploration team´s best efforts, however, the rare, oddly colored pokémon eluded detection. The rumored red Gyarados failed to appear, even fleetingly, to the crestfallen team …"

That concludes our special reportage, "Search for the Red Gyarados". Brought to you by Jubilife TV on Nationwide Net. See you next time, next week, same day.

"They were just trying the same gambit that Goldenrod TV did some years ago about a Red Gyarados in Lake of Rage. But serious, what are the odds of finding a Red Gyarados? 1 in 8000 something?" complained the boy in a too obvious sarcastic tone.

The boy let out a loud yawn. "Great, I woke this early on a Saturday to see that." He sighed, his mind trying to suppress all the fatigue that was acquired over a restless night due to the hype that this lame report managed to build up. "What time is it now?" His sleepily dark brown eyes sliding away from the television until they collided with an old Sentret clock whose moving tail and eyes never stayed on same side.

"It still nine o'clock. Seems plenty right, since I dumbly exchanged my warm bed for a boring two hours long reportage at seven o'clock." His focus once again moved to the still flashing television. "Well, the best I do is playing my Wii."

But he wasn't even able to take one step. After pulling himself up, he was forced to turn his head from the television to the door. A strange noise was coming from behind it, like someone was going up the stairs really fast. In no time the door was burst and an orange lighting came out of it.

"There you are Lucas!" exclaimed the newcomer. His white polo shirt with orange stripes was certainly the cause of the lighting effect. His brown sneakers were unlaced as they always are, a green scarf surrounding his neck as tightly as an Ekans would warp its prey. Dark grey athletic pants were his choice of trousers. And his blond hair and enthusiasm his trademarks.

"Barry, it's nine o'clock in the morning and this is my room, where else would I be?" Angrily was his reply as he stared at the dumb looking intruder.

"Well…" The blond boy lack of a proper answer was evident by his seconds long closure of eyes and by his scratching of the head "Well, this is beside the point. I may conclude that since you are awake this early that you was watching the report on the TV. Riiiiight?"

"Correct." He was now intrigued, what would bring Barry this early to his house? And to talk about a stupid report nevertheless.

"Great. OK, so change clothes fast and meet me by my house." Then as fast as he entered the room he left it.

"He doesn't cease to astonish me."

Red trainers, check. Blue cargo pants, check. White t-shirt, check. Black tank top, check. Red scarf and red beret covering messy hair, double check. He was ready, but what was Barry intending? That was all he could think as he went down the stairs.

"Good morning sonny. What Little B wanted with you this early?" Only her back was visible as she washed her breakfast dishes in the sink.

"Good morning mom." said as he looked at her. A woman in her late thirties with a very unique round haircut, that plus her unusual bluish black hair color made her easy to distinguish. The only thing that was not odd about her hairstyle was a simple red rectangular hairpin Lucas gave her when he was kid. Her blue eyes were serene and calm as a peaceful day on the sea. Always clad in her casual clothes and with a pink bottom only apron no matter what. That was Johanna for you!

"I don't know what he is planning but he said to me stop by his house as soon as I can. And how many times will I have to ask you to not call Barry Little B, it's not good to hear that since we are no longer little kids." A toast half way into his mouth.

"You know how impatient Barry is. I think that today he is on sugar high. And about your kids nicknames, keep in mind that old habits are difficult to lose, you know." She said while sticking her tongue out in a playful way.

"I must agree with you on the sugar high." His eyes now moving from his mom to the rest of the house. They have been living on it since they moved from Kanto to Sinnoh. The same mat, the same cushions, same refrigerator, same dining table… So many memories infused on that simple house. The only thing new was the television bought for his mom being able to watch her soap operas and pokémon contests.

"I will be leaving now, otherwise Barry will come by himself to take me to his house."

Johanna moved her still somewhat soaped hand to cover her mouth as she let a brief giggle. "Agreed. Bye bye sonny."

The sun was shining very brightly, but it didn't seem capable of stop the snow from building up every day, even when it was only autumn. A cool wind fuelled with the aroma of conifers blowing against his face.

Twinleaf Town was a small city on the far west of Sinnoh. It was made of only a couple of houses and a small city hall. All townsfolk knew each other, so if you did anything wrong, everybody would know it in a span of less than one day. That's why Barry had such a bad reputation and thus so did Lucas.

Even thought they were always stick up together, Barry's house was significantly far from his, and even so Barry would do this track in very few time. But not Lucas, it was early, it was a Saturday. He was not going to run. Whatever Barry wanted at his house he was going to wait.

* * *

A not different from Lucas own house stood behind the haste filled Barry as him continuously hit his left foot on the ground.

"Where have you been?" Barry was unpleased.

"How about coming from my house at my own pace? Look, I'm not in my best mood today so I expect you want to do something better than search for imaginary ancient relics on a lagoon like we did last week." Unfortunately he wasn't expecting anything better, not from Barry.

Barry turned around. This wasn't going to end well. He raised his index finger and soon did a turn back and pointed it at Lucas nose. "Today we will write our names in history as we find the Lake Verity Red Gyarados!" His eyes were as bright as flames and now his pointer finger was upwards, like in an ill-fated attempt to reach the sky. Poor illusioned fool.

"Hellooo? Remember last time we accidentally reached the front pages? And Barry, would you mind explaining me why do you think that we, a couple of teenagers, can beat up a professional research team?" He asked even knowing that he would receive a lame excuse.

"That was four years ago! I was young and inexperienced!" However, as he readied himself to answer the latter question, a catlike grim emerged in Barry's face. "Because we are special!"

* * *

"This was the lamest excuse you could ever give me and yet I find myself accompanying you! But I promise you that this is the last time I'm making sure you do not get into a mess."

"When we reach stardom, like all stars and teen idols we will go separate ways." Nodding with his head as he said that.

Pebbles were housed into their shoes soles, not that this mattered at all. The barren ground they have stepping on since they left Twinleaf has finally opened its way to the meadow that lies before the aforementioned Lake Verity.

The water was crystal clear due to the morning sun, making its mystical aspect sounds almost true. But what claimed the focus of Lucas' vision was an old looking man wearing a heavy looking trench coat and a lady with a white beanie in addition to being dressed in an almost black and with pink frills dress. Could only he pray in paying more attention on the girl as he was suddenly pulled from his stand inside a mess of brushes, twigs and dry leaves.

"Would you kindly explain why we are in the middle of these brushes?" At any time, at any freaking second now, Lucas would explode over Barry's crazy attics.

"Shhhhh! You are way too noisy!" Lucas was quite surprised at the level of hypocrisy that his friend has just managed to reach. "Speak in a lower tone from now on and only if you really need to talk about something." This time his face was dead serious, which was disturbing if you consider how it was less than one minute ago.

He made an OK sign. Barry's kept an enduring fixated look at the old man and the girl as these talked, sometimes the latter writing something on a formulary attached to a clipboard. He waited a little more until he quietly asked "Why are we being silent and hiding?"

"That geezer over there had almost caught us! And after you made that loud complain he kept checking these brushes from time to time. Do you have any idea of who that man is?" His reply was a confused Lucas shaking his head in denial. "The world famous Professor Rowan."

"I still don't get it."

"Look, we are about to make the discovery of the century. But if the professor is here, to whom do you think the credits will be given for the discovery?"

Feeling a fool for once again believing that Barry was being serious, he sighed and hoped that at least in the end things went well.

* * *

"Roll out!" As once he was pulled inside the brushes, now he was pushed out of them, only to his face meet the not so comfortable grass.

"May I conclude that they left?" His words were barely loud enough to heard as he spoke against the ground.

"A few minutes after you fell asleep. So, are you ready to be famous?" He bent over and smiled to his companion who was lifting himself off the ground.

"Whatever makes me go earlier home." He took his time to look at surroundings better this time. Lake Verity was one of the three great lakes that had home on Sinnoh. It's vicinity were occupied by woods, where the professor and his assistant should have headed, while in the middle of it a mountain like island crept out of the bottom of the lake.

"I will start investigating around where the professor and the girl were. Move your lazy butt out of the ground and start searching! And remember, no noise!" This time the heaven piercing pointer finger was pointed at Lucas face.

"I swear that if you continue to boss me around like that I will get you a schoolgirl uniform, an orange headband and a red armband for birthday."

* * *

"Hey, Lucas! I found something!" Barry jumped with enthusiasm as he called out for his friend.

"If only it has been your brain, I would be surprised. And weren't we supposed to do our searches quietly?" He turned around and saw that once Barry has found something other than old berries and twigs. The morning light reflected against its silver surface as the blond teenager waved it.

"Where did you find that suitcase?" Unlike pokémon, Lucas didn't think that suitcases could be found naturally in tall grass.

"It was nearby where the geezer and the girl you kept staring were." He pointed to a small area next to where the lake meets the land. "Do you think they left it on purpose?"

"First of all, why would a researcher leave his, well, researches in a place where they could be easily damaged by pokémon or lost? Second, I wasn't staring at the girl more than anything in this lake!" This was it, he would take the suitcase from Barry, give it back to the professor and his beau… assistant, the common, not a single bit attractive girl and then go home and discount this morning frustrations in an evening worth of pure video games.

Barry in meanwhile was making a concentration face until a _logical_ answer to his question came to his mind. "Because it's a bomb!"

"Wait, WHAT? OK today your mom has given you too much sugar, it will be better if we just take this suitcase back to them." Lucas started moving slowly toward where his friend was standing.

"You are with them!" Barry assumed a defensive standing, a foot positioned behind him like he was prepared to run if needed. "You three planed to bomb the lake in order to find an elusive pokémon that lives on its bottom. But I, Captain Barry, Defender of Earth must stop your villainous plans!"

"Don't do anything stupid Barry!" What was he saying? Barry was having fun with this plaything, it was sure as the sun rising every morning that he was to do something stupid, the question was how much time it would take? His steps took a faster rhythm in an attempt to reach Barry before this happened.

"Betrayed by his best friend, our hero must escape with the suitcase and defuse the bomb!" His foot moved backwards to find bellow it a smooth round surface and the boy's body did the same but to find the hard ground.

All Lucas could see was that his dumbass of friend has tripped over something, probably his unlaced sneaker did the trick. But instead of the boy recovering his feet and restarting his escaped, what he saw was a huge pink blob with a puffy thing on its head to rise from the tall grass. And whatever was it, it wasn't happy as it threw a still holding the suitcase Barry in the direction of Lucas with its tongue, wait, TONGUE?

"I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning. How was the landing Barry?" Lucas tried to reestablish communication with his still fallen friend while maintaining eye contact with the furious pink blob.

With some difficulty Barry managed to get back to his feet. His voice was serious this time. "If I remember correctly from papa's battle videos, this thing is a Lickilicky." The briefcase suffered the bulk of the fall, its lock almost breaking.

Sweat was running down both boys faces as they watched the Lickilicky moving his awkwardly tiny arms as it was preparing for a move.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Chapter 1 end = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


End file.
